Maroon
by Kurisutaru
Summary: Usagi Tsukino possesses a rather strange gift. A secret gift that a stranger, Mamoru Chiba, encounters. Now he wants to crack the secret, perhaps expose her.
1. Default Chapter

Kurisutaru kurisutaru_faithful@hotmail.com--- change!! Maroon - Revised! Prologue Disclaimer: me no own Sailor Moon... :)  
  
May sanity be with you :P ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
It was one of those early mornings when the sun was shinning high above your old junkie Honda civic and the perfect Japanese engineered curve would nail light right in your eye. It was rush hour in a certain outskirts of Tokyo and we all know what that meant, nothing moves. Frustrated with this, a certain blond-haired miss cursed under her breath, and pushed her glasses back to its correct position. Her baby blue phone rang violently catching her attention, she plowed her way through her bag and hastily answered it. "Moshi moshi" she answered meekly, she quickly pulled the phone away from her ear as a blasting voice sounded from it. "USAGI TSUKINO! LATE AGAIN! HOW COULD YOU? IF YOU WEREN'T MY COUSIN'S BABY LITTLE GIRL I'D FIRE YOU PETITE ASS IN SECONDS, DO SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT LATE AGAIN! PATIENTS DEPEND ON YOU! YOU'LL BE LUCKY IF YOU GET OUT OF CHANGING SHEETS DUTY FOR A MONTH!!" And the infuriated voice hung itself up. Usagi cringed and prayed for the light to change...  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Professor Chiba taps impatiently on the steering wheel waiting, and waiting... LATE he was NEVER late, but today, it just so happened that he was, it threw off his equilibrium to do that. Enraged as he was, he phoned in the University for the first time ever to report that he would be a little late. It utterly SUCKED. He MAMORU CHIBA is never late, but the old hag in front of him drove like a slug. FINALLY! The light changed for his mercy, but the obviously woman driver in front wasn't moving... He repetitively punched the horn on the steering wheel, but still she didn't move... Unfortunately there wasn't enough space for him to maneuver his. The light turned evil red once again.  
  
Mamoru rose from his car, ripping the seatbelt off his perfect coat and marched towards the old civic. He pounded on the windows of the car, not caring to glance twice at the shivering driver. She rolled down the window in a shaky fashion and whispered a greeting, "Ano..."  
  
For a moment, Mamoru just stared, he realized the petite woman shook profoundly, her blue eyes glazed over with a certain mystically haunting red, in combination an eerie maroon seeped through.  
  
Startled by this, Mamoru's commanding demand came out in a squeaky croak. "Miss, why are you not moving your car?"  
  
"I can't explain it, I just can't!" She desperately pleaded.  
  
A little aggravated at what her blunt and pathetic answer was, he demanded more sharply, "Can't Explain? What kind of meaningless answer is that?"  
  
Her soft eyes grew hard, "I told you I CAN'T!!!!!"  
  
Ready to snap back, Mamoru opened his mouth, only to hear a screech along the narrow street. He looked up to see a flaming Toyota Corolla. It suddenly hit him, what if someone was on the road then???....  
  
Mamoru turned back to the woman, her eyes pale, and sunny-blue concentrated on the road. He wandered aimlessly back to his car... Weren't her eyes maroon?  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 2001 


	2. Chapter 1

Kurisutaru  
kurisutaru_faithful@hotmail.com -- CHANGE OF EMAIL!!!!  
Maroon  
Chapter 1  
Disclaimer: Standard sir!  
July 2002  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mamoru Chiba had arrived fifteen minutes late to his lecture. The   
students were ever so stunned at the professor. Professor Chiba had a   
reputation about him, a sharp, young, tough teacher that would not give  
anyone a second chance. To many single women, he was the ideal mate.   
All materialistic, logical ways, top-notch job, steady retirement   
prepared, and with looks to boot. So how is this ever so eligible   
bachelor not taken? Simple, he was too much of a loner to want a   
girlfriend.  
  
However, as the story goes. There is always one, one unfortunate soul   
that has caught this delicious man's eye. A petite blue eyed-- no,   
strange eyed blond. This morning she was driving an old Honda civic in   
front of him. She didn't move when the light changed, only to have a   
car run straight through. He calculated it many times in his mind, if   
she had gone, he would have died. But then, how did she know in the   
first place? And how was it at one moment, her eyes were maroon, and   
not the pleasant sky blue after the accident? She saved his life...  
  
So many questions flooded his mind. Soon he felt himself physically   
tilt over, overwhelmed with too many thoughts. The assistant teacher   
found him grasping the desk and holding his head.  
  
"Professor! Perhaps you should go see a doctor... You don't look so   
good." The boy hesitantly pointed out.  
  
The poor Professor didn't heed his warning and fell towards the shaking  
assistant.  
  
"SIR?!"  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mamoru groaned as he opened his eyes, the bright daylight stung his   
pupils as they adjusted to the brightness. Soon he was able to observe   
his surroundings. White sheets and plain concrete walls surrounded him.   
The smell of the place was sterile and dead. He was in the hospital he   
concluded as he cautiously sat up. A nurse walked in with a loud,   
bright greeting.  
  
"Hello sir! How are you feeling? Do you know where you are? What   
happened?"  
  
Mamoru held his head, not looking at the nurse he answered hesitantly,  
"I passed out?"   
  
A slender hand held his head, he looked up to question the nurse.  
  
  
Corn-silk blue eyes, filled his own. It was her!  
  
"You!" He barked. She just looked at him, calmly, and began to exam his  
head once again. Her delicate fingers caressed his head as she checked   
for any exterior lumps or bruises. Mamoru almost closed his eyes in a   
state of relaxation, but the thought of who this woman was kept taunting his mind.  
  
"Yes me?" She answered, as she finished checking his head.  
  
"You were the woman in the car this morning, at the red light.  
  
She halted, and dropped her hands to her sides, and stood back.  
  
"You were the jerk that was screaming at me?!"  
  
Mamoru winced at her reference to him. "Yes, I was that... Jerk."  
  
She smiled, "You don't seemed to have hit your head when you collapsed.  
I'll have the doctor come in for final checks to let you go, then you  
only have to sign some papers."  
  
She began to leave the room, but turned back at the door, "By the way,   
my name is Usagi Tsukino. If you need anything just press the buzzer."  
  
She left him, just like that, puzzled, and dazzled by her. Usagi   
Tsukino, the woman with unique eyes.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi knocked herself on the head, how could she forget her glasses.   
That was the second time today, that someone had a clear look into her   
eyes. It was something that haunted her fears that someone would find   
out about her "gift". Fortunately for her it was that man, Mamoru Chiba   
in room 1094.  
  
He seemed, to her a man of many scientific beliefs. Hopefully, he would  
keep those in mind, and his curiosity at bay. Usagi leaned against the  
wall for a brief second, she closed her eyes and sighed. His eyes, go   
deeper than his soul realizes. They were beautiful, rich, something   
about his eyes were amazingly magical. Suddenly remembering, she had to  
change the sheets to the rooms on the lower floor, she pushed off the   
wall and continued her rounds.  
  
Usagi thought to herself sadly, she knew, there was no point in   
thinking about a handsome man. When the powers bestowed upon her,   
cursed her with one thing, isolation. For no one would understand the   
strange effects or it's power. Certainly not one deep ocean eyed man.   
Still, she understood this burden, of seeing future events, visions as   
they are called now. It was something her grandaunt had, and her sister  
before that. This gift, used to be a highly placed power, however   
society has long changed since then, and the past much altered and   
forgotten...  
  
Tears bit the corners of her eyes, her fate was already written,   
confirmation from visions were not necessary, solitude was calling to   
her, all she can do is avoid persecution. She dug into her busy pockets   
for her glasses and slipped them on with a somber expression that were   
echoed in the steel frames.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was a bit past noon, the doctor that Usagi had called for, still had  
not arrived. Mamoru folded his arms in frustration, the attraction   
from nurses at the door were a nuisance to him. He wanted to return to   
lab at the university. His cozy dark hole, just thinking about it, he   
quickly grabbed the button and buzzed it.  
  
A rush of wind filled the room, and causing the door to slap against   
the wall behind it. A tangle of blond swished before him, a gasping   
Usagi stood before him.  
  
"YES?!" she sputtered out as she gobbled more air in.  
  
Mamoru couldn't help but grin at the most comical sight. The action   
surprised even himself, for he simply could not remember the last time   
anything in this world brought a smile to his face...  
  
"Chiba-san?" Usagi questioned him out of his perplexed state.  
  
Mamoru's face returned to his normal cool facade and addressed Usagi.  
  
"I've been waiting for the doctor to come in since eleven..." He   
trailed off as he studied her, she was wearing glasses...  
  
"How come you're wearing glasses?" he suddenly blurted out.  
  
Usagi seemed quite surprised by this question, practically physically   
blown back. A hand flew to her frames, and she answered, "Of course I   
wear glasses, I need them. After all it's none of your concern. The   
doctor, had to go for an emergency, sorry for the inconvenience."  
  
Usagi looked to him, to find that he had nothing to say, he just seemed  
to be studying her. The unusual attention brought a slight blush to   
her cheeks and she ducked her head to avoid eye contact, no matter how   
tempting.  
  
Mamoru realized with glasses, her eyes were dimmed and hidden. With   
this deduction, his logical mind went to work, perhaps this had to do   
with the mystery of her strange eyes, once maroon, then not. He felt   
somewhat determined to figure out, whether all of this day's events   
were merely coincidence or there was something much more at work...  
  
"Your eyes are much better to be seen." He said as he realized, he must  
have been looking at her for a long time...  
  
She looked away, and murmured something, too soft to catch and scurried   
out of the room.  
  
Usagi was a bafflement to him, but there was one thing definitely right   
about her, there was a mystery surrounding her.   
  
That, and she looked adorable with a blush.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi's hands trembled, what was she doing?! Perhaps Mamoru Chiba is   
more of a danger than she first thought. Never, had she had a reaction   
to a man like that, all ditsy, no control. Sure, there was always some   
ditzy, but for a single moment, she forgot, she was different...  
  
She placed a hand to her beating heart, it seemed to clench in pain, as  
her mind decided, to stay away from the beautiful blue-eyed man...  
  
Taking a breath, she went about her rounds...  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mamoru slashed a hand through his agitated hair, he had buzzed four   
times for Usagi, only to get some other crazy nurse. Without much more   
of a care, he flung the thin sheets away and marched off to find her.  
  
  
The hospital was alive with people out of their rooms or in wheelchairs  
or greeting guests. Mamoru took a quick sweep of the area for Usagi.   
He spotted her talking to a little girl in the corner. She had round   
hazel eyes and curly dark hair spilling out of her baseball cap. She   
was speaking softly, her eyes shimmered with tears as Usagi pulled an   
arm around her and held her tight with an expression of tender love.   
The look upon Usagi's face rushed a warm, wonderful feeling through   
Mamoru, it was glee.  
  
Mamoru shock his head, no, he wasn't here to discover Usagi, he was   
here to discover her secret, nothing more. Yet certainly his heart knew   
better... (Mamo's brain shoves heart in the back...Kuris shoves it   
back...and hammers brain...MWAHHAHA...)  
  
Usagi felt a tap shoulder, she glanced behind her to see who it was. In  
the process her gray framed glasses slide down the bridge of her nose   
to reveal her very blue eyes. She wanted to curse, kick, and scream,   
why was it always him? The one man she wanted to stay away from, to   
keep such a careful secret locked away from always catching her at a   
vulnerable moment? She bolted up and swung around to face him with a   
glare.  
  
"You sir, are supposed to be waiting in your room for the Doctor!"  
  
Her eyes in flames, her blond hair flung around her like a protective   
shield.  
  
Mamoru starred in awe, she was amazing, mad. The way the liquid blue   
eyes turn to a bitter frozen oasis, yet in the mist of it, is the   
swirling warm center. Never in his life has anyone captivated him like   
she did, just the simple glare, or a sarcastic smirk, even the   
beautiful smile she wears, all send butterflies through his stomach.   
Suddenly he felt ill, what was this woman doing to him? He was supposed  
to be doing RESEARCH!  
  
Usagi was spitting mad, why wouldn't this man leave her alone? She was   
slightly thrown off by the almost tender look he gave her as she barked   
at him to return to his room. Internally shaking her head, she grabbed   
the baka's arm and dragged him back to his room.  
  
Mamoru couldn't think quite quick enough as the flustered Usagi dragged  
him back to his room. His mind worked at the logic of how such a small   
woman could drag his 6 feet frame down the hall. She was babbling, he   
guessed as he calculated the math in his head, she had finally stopped   
at his room door. It was then he noticed a cute bunny on the side of   
her nametag, recognition flashed before him, he'd seen that bunny   
before. His sight fell to the soft hand that held his, as he watched it  
slipped from his fingers, he realized, he had held these hands before.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi could not believe this man, Mamoru Chiba. He was waltzing around   
the hospital like he owned it, she dragged him back in frustration. As   
soon as she grasped his hand in her own, she blushed a little. She   
forgot what it was like to hold another's hand, it was so warm and   
comfortable, something that was dangerous for her to get used to. She   
snapped her hand out of his as soon as they reached his room. She shook  
off the familiar feeling of the texture of his hand, it was never safe  
to get too close, never safe.  
  
Usagi looked up to lecture the 6-foot man, only to find him lingering   
over her, too close. His hair brushed her own, as his eyes penetrated   
her thin frames and too deep.  
  
"Mr. Chiba?..."  
  
No, no she wouldn't fall like this!  
  
"Please stay in your room, I'll ring for the doctor again, perhaps he   
was held up in surgery."  
With that Usagi stepped away, and quickly slipped out of the room,   
before Mamoru could react.  
  
Mamoru was left to sit down on the hard bed, as he the wheels in his   
head began to turn. Where had he met her before? Yet still, what was   
the mystery of her brillant eyes?  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
*cough* I'm done...... :P 


	3. Chapter 2

Kurisutaru  
kurisutaru_faithful@hotmail.com -- CHANGE OF EMAIL!!!!  
Maroon  
Chapter 2  
Editor: Silly Smiles  
Disclaimer: Standard sir!  
This chapter is in compensation for my *other* work... ^^"'  
January 2003  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
He was certainly up for the challenge. No man, no woman was to stop him from attempting   
what he is to attempt now. In a hurry he clasped his hospital gown shut and ran for the exit.  
  
"Chiba-san, what's the hurry?" The old doctor asked, as he walked slowly into the room  
causing Mamoru to slowing back up in disappointment. Drat, he was discovered.  
  
The doctor continued to talk, "Now, Chiba-san this is just a simple examination.  
According to your records you haven't booked a physical in the last five years."  
  
Mamoru understood how blissful those quiet five years were, without some guy that went   
to medical school stabbing muscles, and jamming radioactive liquids down his throat.   
Certainly he didn't do that with his doctrine!  
  
The old doctor didn't waste his time with any comments, or remarks, and merely started,  
"A nurse will be coming in to do some preliminary examinations, and preparing you for  
some liquids needed for the scans. I'll be back in to examine the results." With that said,  
the doctor turned 180 degrees and shuffled out the door leaving Mamoru to ponder how  
inviting hurling himself out the forth story window had become.  
  
Mamoru felt the pull of his hand drawn to the ledge of the window, swallowing he  
pushed aside all rational thought as he attempted to draw the window open.  
  
"If you're planning to jump out the window, by all means let me help you," a sweet voice  
proclaimed sarcastically.  
  
Mamoru whipped his head around, to find Usagi Tsukino holding a tray of "goodies"  
smiling at his current predicament. She did a quick sweep of him, subtly, amazed at  
what a hospital gown allowed one to see. He stared in awe, of all the nurses in the  
building...  
  
"Who'd ever thought I'd get you." She commented complementing the rest of Mamoru's  
thoughts as he watched her place her tray on the rack and approached him with a needle.  
  
Mamoru's eyes widened in fear, "Just what do you think you're doing with that?" He  
had practically envisioned her to cackle evilly, hold up the needle to squirt some stuff  
out for extra effect. Instead her mischievous smiling face melted into one of honest  
concern.  
  
"Relax," she breathed, "I'm only going to put some of this in your blood so we can  
check for some illnesses that you can get." Usagi then smiled reassuringly, and took  
Mamoru by the hand to get to a vein.  
  
Her touch was surprisingly warm, unlike most of the hospital. She seemed to possess  
this eternal peace about her, leaving Mamoru in a tranquil state as she injected the  
contents of the needle into his bloodstream. Much like her touch, her voice was soft and  
gentle, " There, all done. You can sit and relax now. I'll be coming back to bring you  
into the examination room later."  
  
Mamoru shook himself from his ego-degrading trance, coaching his icky feelings of the  
scientific find she was. He glanced down at his shaking hand, remembering the feel of  
her hand on his...  
  
He racked his memory when had he known her?  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The examination was, to say the least, thorough. Mamoru was released with a clean bill  
of health in the late afternoon. Rubbing his tense shoulder he decided perhaps it was  
best to take a break the rest of the day. He thought back to Usagi, the mystery of the   
moment. He imagined the height of his success being of an incredible scientific find of a   
woman who could change the colour of her eyes, and more? Then he would finally get the   
funding he had always wanted to continue his research. His eyes clouded over at the   
thought of the research he longed to complete, breaking amnesia. He intended to crack the   
secret to the workings of the mind and figure out how to free the memories trapped away in   
the brain. However the science department found his research idea too ahead in its time,   
and they rejected him. They told him, he cold run research on the workings of the brain, but   
something like reviving memory was too advance and unstable to invest in. To them, it was   
all an investment, but to him it was his life. He needed to know his past. He sighed, not   
really wanting to believe that all he wanted to use Usagi for was to promote his research.   
However, a woman that could somehow perhaps predict the future with the change of the   
colour of her eyes were far to appealing. A horrible feeling sagged in his gut.   
  
Usagi sailed across the hallways to deliver a tray to Mrs. King. One foot in front of the   
other, and suddenly a vision sprang on her like a splash of cold water. It was a nice car  
that was strangely familiar, driving down a busy Tokyo road. Usagi could smell a  
deathly strong perfume, it belonged to a woman sitting in the passenger seat of the car.  
She looked beautiful however the feelings felt were of anxiety, and annoyance. With a  
flamboyant bounce she drooped over the driver like a heavy quilted blanket. Usagi  
could feel the heartbeat of the driver accelerate, lungs becoming suffocated, and lastly  
the driver's hands slip from the wheel. Right before the car slammed violently into the  
next lane, the driver's head tilted back just enough for his eyes to meet the rear mirror.  
The last image seen was the fear on his face and in his eyes of the rear mirror. Usagi  
clutched her chest as she took in air heavily. She had recognized that face, as well as the  
car, after all she saved this morning already. Usagi quickly dropped the tray off at the  
desk, spud an excuse and let her sense guide her.   
  
Left, another swift left, a sharp right. My GOD is that a curb?!  
  
Usagi summersaulted her way to the oh-so-comfortable concrete. However she didn't reach   
the ground. An arm of a savior had snaked its way around her small waist. Her savior   
breathed in the floral scent of her hair and held her gently. What kind of perverted savior   
would be sniffing her hair?! Even worse, it didn't feel icky at all! In fact, Usagi could   
almost say she felt quite, at home in this horny man's arms.  
  
After a few breaths, Usagi was able to collect the few sense and wits she had left to whip   
around and confront her "savior". Of course none other than, Mamoru Chiba greeted her.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Honestly, he couldn't explain the eccentric thoughts that ran around his poor brain like a  
broken record that amazingly still had the ability to play over and over again. Mamoru  
also couldn't, for the life of him, give any legitimate explanation as to why he would act  
in such a manner. It wasn't decent or a very respectable gesture either. Although he  
saved Usagi from a nasty intimate encounter with the sidewalk, he had no right to hold  
her as he did now.  
  
What he did know though, was his heart was beating stronger than ever before, and  
a slight, previously denied, spark jumped around again. Before any rational  
thoughts would recover his mind, Usagi jerked him off her like a rear-  
ended collision. Her eyes turned alarmingly wide, Mamoru expected the worse.  
  
"Mamoru!" She exclaimed. Mamoru winced as he saw a look of panic in  
her eyes, did he scare her that much? "I was looking all over for you!" She  
finished.  
  
Mamoru tightly held his composure, but his mind was screaming. She  
was looking for him?! A long forgotten part of him leaped at the opportunity to  
childishly claim, 'of course!'  
  
Usagi continued to explain her sudden appearance before him, what was that? Something   
about a gut feeling? About him?  
  
"Pardon? He asked  
  
"Just trust me on this Chiba-san. Please don't drive today." She pleaded. Mamoru  
practically snorted at her plea. With no scientific evidence, she comes to him again with  
a wild accusation.  
  
"Tell me, did some upper being just tell you this information?" He taunted.  
  
Usagi was furious, the nerve of that man, she was trying to save his pathetic life! Yet,  
she kept her anger in check, and found herself answering him honestly, despite all the  
warning bells ringing in her head.  
"No, I just... Feel these things. I don't know why I happen to feel what might happen to  
you, but I know that whatever my gut tells me, its never wrong."  
  
Mamoru cocked an eyebrow. His logical mind worked itself to death trying to argue  
with that part of him that just, believed her. However it was his logical self that won the  
argument, given that he trained it for the many years of his life, he decided he'd prove to  
her just how harmless driving his car was.  
  
"Come with me, Usagi-san. I'll show you that my driving is perfectly safe." He reached  
out to grab her arm carefully. At the contact of her hands, the nostalgic feeling returned,  
he held her hand tighter secretly hoping the feeling would never go away. He started to  
take off, only to find Usagi resisting him.  
  
"No! I refused to get into the vehicle, why can't you just trust me?!" She wailed. With  
that Mamoru turned back to find her creased in worry, tears threatening to break from  
its hold at the corners of her eyes. Mamoru's persistence quickly fled him in that moment.  
  
"Lets take a walk instead," he said while leading her to a nearby mall.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Mamoru pulled her through the mall, Usagi attempted to gain control after her  
outburst. She knew she was known to be emotional, but she couldn't pinpoint the reason  
as to why she couldn't let Mamoru go. As ridiculous as it sounded, she as connected to  
him. Mamoru suddenly halted, abruptly stopping the flow of her thoughts, in the middle  
of a corridor filled with people pushing and shoving their way to the best sale. Usagi  
found herself pressed to Mamoru's side. She was surprised at the ease and comfort she  
felt as she fit comfortably to him. However she was even more surprised as Mamoru  
instinctively pulled an arm around her to shield her from all the people bustling about.  
  
He glanced down with a swirl of light in his eyes, "Are you okay Usagi?"  
  
In the moment she smiled up at him in a radiance, "Thank you." She simply said. The  
smile alone left Mamoru shaken. Something powerful lurched through him and he felt  
his typically non-active heart flinch. Unconsciously he held on to her gaze longer, searching   
the depths of the summer ocean irises. Blue, all blue. His thoughts returned to  
the question that burned at the back of his mind, how ever did her eyes turn a dark  
bleeding red?  
  
Mamoru didn't get a chance to question her as he wanted to. A small white stuffed  
bunny in the window of a shop had quickly occupied Usagi. Mamoru glanced at her  
bright eyes longing for the rabbit in the window. He couldn't help but feel amused.  
  
Usagi was enthralled by the bunny, it looked exactly like the bunny she once held in her  
arms memories ago. A bunny that was part of her memories she couldn't remember  
properly. Her mother had always told her that some things were meant to be forgotten.  
However Usagi was stubborn, she couldn't let it go, for when she grasped whatever part  
of the memory she had left, she was filled with a indescribable warmth. Without  
realizing, Usagi pulled Mamoru into the store with her as she made her purchase.  
  
Mamoru was so busy arguing with himself about what to do about Usagi that he didn't even   
realize she had bought the bunny. Usagi held it in her arms like a loving mother,  
her cheeks flushed with a tender love and her eyes filled with a hazy warmth. Mamoru  
let loose a genuine grin, which had caught her by surprise.  
  
"You know, you should smile like that more often. Rather then that grim line you call a  
mouth." She teased grinning back.  
  
The logical wheels in Mamoru's head turned in agreement with his unpredictable  
feelings. Usagi was worth getting to know better. For research purposes, his mind added  
in assurance, of course.  
  
"For trying to help me, let me treat you to something to eat," he declared.  
  
Usagi looked at him wide-eyed. Did he say food? "Sure," she chirped without thinking.  
  
"Alright, lets put your bunny away in my car first, so you won't loose it." Mamoru  
decided, pondering how many washes it would take to get something out of that pearl  
coloured fur.  
  
Usagi nodded and followed Mamoru through the department store at then south wing of  
the mall. The department store was in its busiest hour filled with young girls shopping  
with friends, and mothers buying things for their sons. They ploughed through the  
perfume level, sales ladies spraying scents chaotically. Usagi had to shield her face  
away from the persistent sales women as Mamoru continued pulling her through. It was  
then that Usagi realized their hands never parted. A shiver of giddiness flooded her  
senses and she found herself at ease to smile, with someone else by her. Mamoru sensed  
Usagi's feelings and turned back with an honest, leisurely smile and pulled her closer to  
him in attempt to save her from all the chaos.  
  
The two finally reached the elevator down to the parking level. A lone strong perfume  
lingered in the elevator car. The perfume had smelled alarmingly familiar, but Usagi  
had just went through a mall of many scents, she decided that she couldn't distinguish  
familiar scents from newly obtained ones. They reached Mamoru's car, she reached the  
with her free hand to the door handle and opened the door. Usagi was greeted with a  
loud, harsh, fast, excruciating pain -- she was hit with a bullet.   
  
Everything blurred quickly around her, all too fast for her to react, all she could   
comprehend was that she had been pushed into the seat the car started to move. It was then   
it all came to her. This was her vision! The smells, sounds, the car! She was the woman   
who leaps at Mamoru?!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
:) Happy WTF Day!!!!  
  
*I'm a WAFFer..*grins* 


End file.
